Braised Short Ribs Cooked in Spices with Wine Reduction

I stumbled upon this wonderful short rib recipe and made few adaptations by add more spices and few substitutions. My bf loves anything stew-based so I can see myself using my Le Creuset 6-quart dutch oven pretty often. It’s high-quality enameled cast iron cookware is designed for ease and versatility of use. Just put everything in and let it roast it in the oven. They normally go for $275 but I got mine for a stellar deal at T.J Maxx Home Goods for $139.99 few years ago. It’s a great investment, their durability and high qualify craftsmanship is worth every penny.

These short ribs are obscenely good. It requires little hands on when cooking and impossible to screw up. Halfway into braising, I took a quick peek and found the vegetables are roasting nicely and the short ribs have a deep burgundy color. The aroma of the spices and vegetables perfumes the whole kitchen. As the liquid is braising, the short ribs sucks in all the juices and tenderizes the meat. By the time it’s done cooking, the short ribs literally falls off the bones and with each bite, the meat melts in your mouth. Dinner was a great success. I will definitely make this rustic, comfort meal again. My bf raved how delicious it is, especially the sauce. 🙂

Serves 2

Ingredients:

1 1/2-2 lbs bone-in beef short ribs

salt

pepper

flour

3 Tbs canola oil

4 carrots, coarsely chopped

2 celery stalks, coarsely chopped

3  handfuls of sweet grape tomatoes

1 yellow onion, coarsely chopped

12 peeled garlic cloves, cut in halves

2 sprigs of rosemary, fresh

5-6 sprigs of thyme, fresh

20 peppercorns

1/2 bottle of red wine (I used Syrah)

3 cups of beef or chicken stock

1/2 cup light brown sugar

1 Tbs unsweetened cocoa powder

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp paprika

1 tsp chili powder

1 tsp red chili flakes

Side dishes: cooked broccoli, mash potatoes or brown rice

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. In a large bowl, put together the coarsely chopped vegetables (carrots, celery, sweet grape tomatoes, onions, garlic) and set aside.

3. Season the short ribs with salt and pepper, then toss in flour to coat. Shake off the excess flour. In a 5-6 quart dutch oven, heat oil on high. Once oil is very hot, sear the short ribs on all sides to brown. Set aside the seared short ribs on a plate.

4. In the same pot, add chopped vegetables, herbs and peppercorns. Pour in a small amount of wine to deglazed the pot, scraping the bottom (use wood or plastic spoon, do not use metal as it will stretch the pot). Add the remaining wine and beef or chicken stock. Stir in brown sugar, cocoa powder, chili powder, cinnamon, paprika, red chili flakes. Place short ribs back into the pot and nestle the meat in the vegetable mixture. The short ribs should be almost completely covered with liquid. If necessary, add more beef or chicken stock and/or wine until almost covered but not completely covered.

5. Bring the mixture to a boil on the stove stop, then cover and transfer the dutch oven in the oven and cook for exactly 3 hours long.

6. Remove the pot from the oven and place it on the stove top. Let it rest for about 5 minutes. Spoon the short ribs and cooked vegetables on a plate and serve with a side of cooked broccoli for a healthy meal or you can serve with mash potatoes or brown rice for a comfort meal. Pour enough sauce over the plate, it’s very delicious!